VIDEO: Trudeau asks Canada to look to current, not past, actions on race

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes a statement in regards to photo coming to light of himself from 2001 wearing “brownface” during a scrum on his campaign plane in Halifax, N.S., on Wednesday, September 18, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Justin Trudeau insists he’s not the man today who he was years ago, when photos and videos were taken of him in racist costumes.

The Liberal leader acknowledges, however, that he had a “massive blind spot” about how wearing blackface could be so hurtful.

Two photos and a video of a younger Trudeau dressed up, with his face painted black or brown, twice for performances and once in an unclear context, have surfaced in the last 24 hours.

Trudeau says he was aware of two of them, and he’s never spoken about them because he was embarrassed.

Delivering statement on blackface photos, Justin Trudeau addresses his remarks to racialized Canadians: "I what I did hurt them, hurt people who shouldn't have to face intolerance & discrimination because of their identity. This is something that I deeply, deeply regret" #cdnpolipic.twitter.com/a6GLb2zw1b